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Originally Posted by cesc's_mullet
Thank you Smashed. Great post.
And I can't believe I didn't use the African players continued emergence into the world stage as an example. Maybe that would've warded this threat from the idiots.
The bigger players are, and will, become more technically gifted with the right development programs in place. But maybe not to the extent they do in the AFL and other sports like Grid Iron and Rugby, when you think about it more precise skill is involved with the world game, if only because the players can not use their hands. Maybe European Football will be immune to such drastic developments.
Also, if you get a chance - watch those vids!
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Yeal I will take a look at them when I get home. I do see the African nations catching up with the European teams, infact I'll even put my leg out and say an African team will win a World cup in the next 20 years. But I don't think they will ever dominate the sport.
Although as you say, with their influx into the European game they are getting more and more technical as well and many are also starting to develop a better footballing brain. But look at some of the most 'intelligent' footballers in the world. Scholes, Cesc, Xavi, Pirlo...they're all small guys yet they can change a game without having to use strength to power through the opposition team. One killer ball that can take out 3 or 4 opposition players is surely just as deadly as a surging run from some tall powerful guy. I suppose a classic example of this argument is Ronaldo and Messi. Who is the better player. Ok Ronaldo has the technical ability, but his strength, height and power are his main asset. Messi on the other hand has a short, wraith like build. He looks like he can br brushed of the ball and shouldn't be able to succeed against bigger, more powerful athletes. And yet he tore us apart, taller players like Carrick for example couldn't get he ball off of him. Our new signing Anderson is only the size of Scholes, yet I still remember fondly the way he shrugged Drogba off the ball.
Although there is maybe a bigger influx of taller, more powerful players in the top leagues, a lot of them don't play fot the top clubs. You only have to look at the best players in the world in the past to see that technical ability is always going to be more important and appreciated than size and strength.